Fluorinated polyethers have useful properties that include low refractive index, soil resistance, lubricity, and high water repellency. Accordingly, fluorinated polyethers have been incorporated into various protective coatings to provide one or more of low refractive index, cleanability, durability, and scratch resistance.
However, fluorinated polyethers typically are only soluble or dispersible in organic solvents, and in particular in costly fluorinated organic solvents. Further, if such solutions or dispersions containing volatile organic solvent are coated on a substrate. Given the recent trend in industry to remove volatile organic solvent from chemical formulations, there remains a continuing need for fluorinated polyether materials that are soluble or dispersible in solvents other than organic solvents.